yeemein

Hello ladies! We're back from our vacation of a lifetime! It was the best experience we could every imagine – my review http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/t/786/gran-bahia-principe-akumal-tulum-coba-post-here/5770#post_1769459 https://picasaweb.google.com/yeemein/TodayWasAFairyTale?authuser=0&feat=directlink - here are the pictures from the Arrecife Studio. We have more pictures, but waiting to get them from our other photographer. We did TTD pictures at a local public beach close to Tulum Ruins. I don't like to brag, but I think those are going to be gorgeous. BEST DAY OF OUR LIVES...to-date.

Hello ladies! We're back from our vacation of a lifetime! It was the best experience we could every imagine - if you're getting married at Gran Bahia Principe Resorts in Riviera Maya, MX go to the main thread and you'll see my review. https://picasaweb.google.com/yeemein/TodayWasAFairyTale?authuser=0&feat=directlink - here are the pictures from the Arrecife Studio. We have more pictures, but waiting to get them from our other photographer. We did TTD pictures at a local public beach close to Tulum Ruins. I don't like to brag, but I think those are going to be gorgeous. BEST DAY OF OUR LIVES...to-date.

Hello ladies! We're back from our vacation of a lifetime! It was the best experience we could every imagine - if you're getting married at Gran Bahia Principe Resorts in Riviera Maya, MX go to the main thread and you'll see my review. https://picasaweb.google.com/yeemein/TodayWasAFairyTale?authuser=0&feat=directlink - here are the pictures from the Arrecife Studio. We have more pictures, but waiting to get them from our other photographer. We did TTD pictures at a local public beach close to Tulum Ruins. I don't like to brag, but I think those are going to be gorgeous. BEST DAY OF OUR LIVES...to-date.

I'm procrastinating at work...so here's my review...sorry it's long. Getting there/Check-in/Rooms We had 2 groups with different departure dates. The group from Montreal/Quebec City departed from Montreal on Apr 28 and the group from Vancouver departed on Apr 29. We booked with AirTransat/Nolitours (if you live in Montreal area and need a good travel agent, I can recommend mine. She’s great!) We departed from Montreal with 17 other people and the airport experience was smooth from YUL to CUN. Although we think the CUN airport could stand to be a bit more organized at the Declaration area. After we all received our bags, we headed for the exit and instantly saw a crowd of people offering transfers. Luckily we found an AirTransat/Nolitours representative right away and were escorted to our bus accordingly. There were a few stops along the way to Gran Bahia Principe Resorts, but it only took 1hr20mins. The check-in process was smooth also, we were welcomed with the welcome beverage and most of the rooms for our guests were ready. We arrived at the resort around 2pm local time. We stayed in villa 26A room 32617. It’s a bit far from Lobby Coba but we liked it because we were close to the quiet pool and further away from the Activity (loud) pool. If you paid for the Club Golden rooms, then you might be disappointed because the rooms are all the same size and during low season the Premier Lobby for that section is closed. Meeting Maria We met with Maria 2 days after we arrived to the resort. I was anxious, very anxious. She walked in with a big binder and started pulling out her notes and our email chains and begins filling out a piece of paper of wedding details. She basically went through everything top to bottom, confirming all the services we had committed to. It was good to meet with Maria to confirm details, I felt much more relaxed afterwards. So to all the future brides…DO NOT FREAK OUT. They do this every day and sometimes twice a day, all will be PERFECT! Getting Ready *I didn’t use the resort spa, so this party might not be informational for you.* Me, being semi-traditional, I kindly asked my now husband to kindly find another room to sleep in the night before our wedding day. And my husband, being the kind man he is, obliged with no fuss. My best friend/maid of honour spent the night with me and she is the reason I remained so calm on the day of our wedding. We went for breakfast at the main buffet and made sure that we would not run into my husband. After breakfast we went back to my room to slowly get ready. I really took my time and relaxed, took in every moment and focused on not stressing. I am lucky that my friend/hairdresser travelled with me and therefore made me feel and look as pretty as I possibly could be. She arrived in my room around noon and began working on my hair. She is super fast and by 1:15 my hair and makeup was completely done and the ceremony wasn’t until 4pm. More time for relaxing! The flowers were delivered to my room by 1pm and appropriately distributed by the Best Man. I helped MoH get into her dress around 2pm and vice versa me at 2:30pm. At 3pm the videographer (Tony) came to film some pre-ceremony shots and also we pretended to exit the room to the ceremony location for filming purposes he couldn’t ride in the golf cart with us. My sister was also in the room at the time, taking pictures. She was our unofficial photographer for the day but also used the resort photographer for the ceremony. At 3:30 all the guests minus the ones with me were transported to the Akumal Hammocks location and a private golf cart picked us (me, MoH, Dad & sister) up at 3:50pm. Felt like the longest ride of my life…. Wedding Ceremony We arrived to the location by 4pm and by 4:05pm I was walking down the aisle. It was surreal but I took the time to look at my now husband, our guests, our decorations (PERFECTLY placed) and my father. I was so happy to be reunited with my now husband, he was even more handsome than I thought he could be and he said the same about me. We chose the UNFORGETTABLE package, but a symbolic ceremony, as we were already married in Quebec before departing. Our friend, my now husband’s best friend, was the “ministerâ€. He said the words that I wrote perfectly and even translated a portion of it in French for my husband’s family/friends. The whole ceremony lasted 20mins and before we knew it we were toasting with our group. Photo Session Our guests enjoyed a cocktail party on the beach while we had our photo session with immediate family first and then friends. Like I said before my sister was our unofficial photographer but because it was so hot she had to sit out for a portion of the session and she let the pro’s handle the heat. It was HOT! Probably the hottest day of the 2 weeks we were there. Jorge was our photographer from Arrecife Studio. Our package included 15 pictures and at the end we chose an additional 32 pictures at $15usd each. Not cheap, but worth it! We love the photos from Arrecife Studio and if we had a bigger budget we would have gotten more. Wedding Reception Originally we had planned for our reception dinner at Portofino Restaurant (Italian) but for some reason it was closed so the dinner was moved to El Pescador but still with the same Italian menu. Dinner commenced at 6pm. We had 4 tables: 1 – 6 ppl (head table), 2 – 8 ppl, & 1 – 7 ppl. We chose the Italian Appetizer, Milestone Soup, Chicken Gorgonzola or Salmon, and we opted for wedding cake for everyone instead of dessert but they gave BOTH! That was a nice surprise. For dessert we had Profiterole. For the wedding cake we chose 3 milks in the form of a tiered cake (2 layers) and it was DELICIOUS! My father made us a cake topper, a Chinese symbol meaning double happiness. The restaurant was private for us until 7:45pm. My only complaint was that the restaurant was too hot, even with ceiling fans and windows open. Poolside After Party The after party by the (Hibiscus) pool started at 8pm. We walked over from the restaurant because it was very close. I hired DJ Bijan from Mayan Vibes for 3 hours which cost $450CAD + $90USD day pass fee. It was well worth the price! DJ Bijan played all the right music and was able to make Quebecer’s that don’t dance, DANCE!!! It was such a good party. I brought Glowstick necklaces for everyone and it was a big hit. We did our first dance, MoH & BM speeches and bouquet toss half way through the dance party. We were lucky to be graced with the presence of a great performer (we think anyways). Our friend Simon preformed “Gangstas Paradise†and “Jump†as requested from the Bride & Groom. The crowd went nuts! All’s well that ends well. At the end, majorly of the men and some women jumped into the pool to cool off. Wedding Coordinator Maria and her team of helpers were fantastic. She was more available once we were in-resort, so do not fret future brides. Photos & Video Jorge and Tony were fantastic!!! Like I said before we ended up purchasing an additional 32 pictures and we went with the all day filming. It’s a lot of money, but well worth it. The video and photos comes in a very nice case with imaging on the CD/DVD. We’re very impressed with the results. We’ve watched our video about 5x since we returned on Saturday. Other Restaurants I’d just like to say that we tried all 3 main buffets and 6 of the 11 à la carte restaurants and by far our favorite is the main buffet at Coba, Kukulkan. Maybe we’re bias because we stayed in Coba but we think it’s the best buffet. It had very good selection of cuisines and we never got sick from any of the foods. Random Thoughts Loved Coba beach!!!! You can do water aerobics at noon or learn salsa on the pier. Coco Bongo in Playa del Carmen is sick! If you like to party, then you need to experience this at least once. And all for the all-inclusive ticket, you’ll be treated like GOLD inside. We went to Xel-Ha! It was fun to snorkel with the fishes, float down a river and just relax in a different location. You can buy a package that includes transportation but it’s literally 5 mins from the resort so we opted for the collectivo and paid $10 each way for 2 persons. Sorry for the long review. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions. Here’s a link for my photos by Arrecife Studio - https://picasaweb.google.com/yeemein/TodayWasAFairyTale?authuser=0&feat=directlink

I get my eyebrows threaded every 4 weeks usually. Letting them grow is so painfull (not literally)...I'm always tempted to pluck. It's best if you have bangs, at least one side can be hidden.

Hi all, we're back from paradise and reality is harsh!! 14 days of sunshine, very few clouds and zero rain! It was a vacation of a lifetime and our wedding day was the best day of our lives...to-date. So much love and laughter, it just overwhelmed us and we felt so blessed! I will be writing a review in a few days and posting some pictures. I'm not in the midst of packing up our house and moving to Qc City so bare with me. Mrs. Susan Yee-Roy

CONGRATS! I was originally going to choose that resort but we changed our minds and went with GBP. But we are still wedding day TWINS! Good luck and best wishes!!

These are the best diet/protein shakes I've ever tried. I've been drinking them since January 2012 and lost about 5 lbs of fat. I only have them in the morning, replaced my breakfast. I do get hungry around 2 hours after I drink the shake but also depends what I put in the shake. If I add a banana then I stay fuller longer. Normally I will have 2 scoops with a spoon full of green yogurt (plain), a few ice cubes, 1/2 banana, and tropical blend of juice. I blend it up in my magic bullet and enjoy. I didn't have much to loose, mainly I wanted to maintain my weight before the wedding, and it definitely helped me do that. I also train a lot so it helped rebuild my muscles. This is a great product and I probably will continue to use it after my wedding. My FI uses it also and he's lost probably 5-8lbs of belly fat! Quite the improvement!

Threading is amazing! I have been getting my eyebrows threaded for the last 7 years and never paid more than $6 in Vancouver or $4 in Montreal. It can be painful sometimes but its quick - or at least it should be. Waxing can cause ingrown hairs and also over time since waxing pulls on your skin, some say it can cause more wrinkles when you're older (or skin sag). If threading is available where you live, I highly recommend you at least try it to see if you like it.

Hi ladies! I love photo books! I'm not into scrapbooking, purely because I have no patience for cutting, pasting, sticking etc...I'm more of a tech geek so that why creating a photo book and having it printed works for me! We like http://www.picaboo.com/ you can usually find groupons for them or google picaboo coupons and you should find a link with offer codes for 50% off or buy 1 get 2nd (smaller) free. http://www.dealigg.com/story-Picaboo-Coupons-Picaboo-Coupon-Code-2 If the book you get has any smudges or other marks, simply take a picture as proof and they send you a new one and the original with defect you can keep or toss. Happy photo booking!!!

Congrats Arriba 2012!! I'm departing in 2 days...and I cannot sleep..........

I'm getting married on May 3rd, 2012 at Gran Bahia Principe!!!! Originally from Vancouver, moved to Montreal 2 years ago to be with FI and soon after our wedding we'll be moving to Quebec City!! What an adventure so far. =) Good luck and CONGRATS to all the MAY Canadian Brides!! WOOT WOOT!!!!!

Oh this is nice. I want to incorporate a braid into my updo as well but my FI told me he doesn't want me to have a braid on our wedding day. Should I listen to him? Braids are pretty!!! and very romantic. But I think he thinks they are kid-like. =(

hi ladies, i'm departing in 3 days for riviera maya (gran bahia principe) and i'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with my hair. i know it will be super windy so definitely will have all my hair up. i have long dark brown hair, asian texture, very silky...which means very difficult to style. thank god my trusted hairdresser will be coming to the wedding. does anyone have any pictures to share for low-bun do's or side-low-bun do's? i have a few, to give you ideas of what i mean. Thx!

oh nice!!! We'll both be doing the no-rain dance. 60%?! OMG I did not know this...it must change! PLEASE CHANGE!!!!!!!!

oh can you please add me to the bridal roll call? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 3, 2012 Akumal Beach location staying Apr 28-May12 (yes!! 2 weeks in heaven) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks!

OMG how did I not find this thread before? =) It's amazing! Even though I am departing in 3 days (wedding in 8 days), I still found all the information/pictures/reviews very helpful. I have a clear idea of what my wedding day will be like. Congrats to all the brides before and after me. =) I'm hoping for great weather!

Hi all!! I haven't posted here yet but I just want to say in advance...CONGRATULATIONS to all the May 2012 brides!!! We will be married on May 3rd, 2012 at Gran Bahia Principe Coba on Akumal Beach. Let's all pray that we don't get rain on our wedding day. Can I count on you ladies to do a "no-rain" dance for us? =) xx

Awesome!!! Wait til you're a few days away...you'll be running on adrenaline =)

THREE days from departure!!! Thanks to all the ladies here for assisting with issues/problems/questions. Without this forum I'm sure I would be more stressed at this moment, but I am feeling relaxed and confident. Safe travels to the other couples travelling soon, maybe we'll cross paths in the resort. I'll post a review upon my return. =) EIGHT days from Wedding day!!!

Tlseege, do you have a sample of photo set list you should use for a photo session with bride/groom. My photographer/sister asked me to provide her with one and I want to make sure I'm not missing any main shots. Thx ~ Sue

Hi Shannon! I'm not an expert but was told you can do the sand ceremony after the vows and before you and your groom exit the ceremony. You can definitely use a song for that. Ceremony music was hard for me also. I wanted the traditional wedding march etc...but wanted a more fun version for the beach. I was able to find steel drums version on iTunes. Look up The Carnival Steel Steel Drum and you should find a tropical wedding collection. =) Sorry I cannot help on the piano bar info. 5 days to go for me

Most likely yes. I was told that fake flower petals are now allowed. I opted for bubble wands for my guests.

Great! Thanks for the wealth of knowledge!!!! 9 days til departure!

Thanks Tlssge! This makes so much more sense. We are having our reception at Portofino restaurant. What would you recommend? What's in the Italian Appetizer? And for dessert do guests get dessert and wedding cake?